Thursday 6 June 2019

Private David Raymond Morris of the 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers

I find it hard to refer to today as D Day  "Celebrations " as so many young me lost their lives .

Amongst those who took part was Private David Raymond Morris of the 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers landed at Gold beach Normandy on D - Day. My dad, He was just 20 years old.

Image may contain: 3 people, people smiling

He's on the left in glasses in the above photograph

Having spent much of the war in the Orkneys (Or Bloody Orkney as it was known.)  He was in the I believe second wave  and three weeks later his war was over as he was hit in the face by shrapnel  from a mine.

For this he received substantial facial reconstruction from a pioneering doctor and was left with a silver plate in his head and the occasional tendency to blackout when under stress.

Nearly 60 years later is wounds contributed to his death.

He vary rarely spoke about his experiences and it was only later in life he sent for his medals and when I see the "Royal" festooned  with them it makes me angry he had just three.

Today I remember Dad and also all those who took part in the liberation of Europe.

Indeed I think it is highly poignant that amongst those dignitaries  yesterday was German Chancellor Angela Merkel,

She called it a  a "gift of history" that she is able to participate in the ceremony on the southern coast of England commemorating the 75th anniversary .

As we remember those who took part in the Liberation of Europe  75 years  it is important that we were liberating the Germans themselves from the Nazi regime.

Many Germans today even those who like me had a relative on the side of those Dad was fighting  see D Day as the start of the end of a Fascist Regime that had corrupted their country .

75 years ago Private David Raymond Morris, was part of the Liberation of Europe and even though I am a Pacifist , it is something I am Proud of.

1 comment:

Soupcruncher said...

These fools who 'celebrate' this day and use it to boost their jingoistic 'national' interests are dishonouring the memories of these poor boys.